The Gibson Upright eBook

[He gets his hat and coat, then
thinks of something he wants from his desk and
goes over to get it. Meantime NORA, not
moving so rapidly as GIBSON, but more thoughtfully,
goes up to the wall where hang her jacket and
hat, takes off her apron, puts on the jacket
and hat and goes to the door that leads to the
street, where she stands waiting. There is a knock
on the factory door, which opens without waiting,
and SIMPSON comes in.]

SIMPSON: I don’t want to detain you if
you’re goin’ out, Mr. Gibson, but there’s
something’s got to be settled. And the men
in my department say it’s got to be settled
right now. That wage scale says we get time and
a half for overtime, and the men in the finishing department,
they ain’t gettin’ no time and a half
on piecework and we never understood that agreement
you claim we signed with you anyhow. So what we
says, if we don’t get double time instead of
time and a half for overtime—­why, Mr. Gibson,
it looks like them men couldn’t hardly be held
back. Now what we demand is—­

[He is still talking as the final
curtain descends upon these three: GIBSON
seated at his desk, looking fixedly at SIMPSON,
NORA waiting thoughtfully by the door that leads
to the street.]